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N- FETEHS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON, D C.

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Letters Patent No. 105,304, dated July 12, 1870.

The sclidnle referred to in these Letters Patent and making pan: of the sama To allwhom .it may concern.-

Be itkuown that I, ALFRED D. CLARK, of Greenfield, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Feeder and Indicator for Steam-Boilers; and I do hereby deelare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the aeeolnpanying drawing making a part of this specifica: tion, in which the figure is a side elevation.

This invention has for its object to automatically alternately introduce and eut off arsupply of water to a steam-boiler, according to the needs of the case, and also to indicate by a whistle or bell every such introduction and shutting oli'.

The invention principally consists in the combination, with ,an oscillating pipe, whose fulcr'um is in the dome or other iixed part of a steam-boiler, and extends within the same, of a vessel fixed on the upper and outer extremity of said pipe, which vessel is made to vibrate by means of its alternate filling with water from the boiler through said oscillating pipe, under steampressure,a1nl the emptying of the vessel, owing to the gravity of its contents, such vibration working the valve of a force-pump or steam-injector, in such a manner as to produce a flow of water into the boiler, or sluit oft' the same, as required.

The invention also consists in the combination of' the vibrating arm, to which the said vessel is attached, witlna whistle-valve or bell, in such manner as to sound an indication oi' botlrthe entrance andshu'tting ofi' of water, with respect to the boiler.

In the drawing- A is a dome,'to be attached to a steam-boiler.

a is a vibrating-pipe, opening at its upper end into another pipe placed crosswise of the inside of' the dome A, in such a manner that it may rock therein, passing out through a stuiing-box, b, in the side ot' the dome, and connected by an elbow, c, with a pipe, d, which opens into a cylindrical vessel, e.

Tile pipel a has an elbow at its lower end, by which the branch h is attached to it.

B is a lever, pivoted to a stand, i, on the top of the dome.

A rod, k, jointed at both ends,.eonnects the-pipe d with the adjacent extremity of the lever B, on whose opposite extremity isran adjustable weight, l, heavy enough to keepihe vessel c poised at its highest position when empty.

lhis position, shown in dotted lines, is the one the apparatus assumeswhen there lis no steam in the boiler.

When the tire has been kindled, however, and two or three pounds of stearn generated, the pressure of the same forceswater into the branch h, and through the pipes a and ll into the vessel e, which is of such capacity that, when lled with water, it falls to its lowest position, raising the counter-weight.

Near the latter', a.cord,`m, is tied to the lever B,

which cord runs over sheaves n u, and attaches at its other extremity to the vertical stem o of the valve lr in the-cylinder s, connected with the force-pump by apipe, fr.

The raising of the weighted end of the lever B lowers the valve r, and prevent-s water from flowing to the force-pump. y

Itssupply being thus c'ut off, the water inthe boiler falls as steam is made, until it lays bare a pprtion of the mouth of the branch h.

As soon as this takes place, the water in the vessel e runs down into the holler, and its place is supplied by steam from the latter.

The vessel e, thus lightened, is raised by the counter-Weight, and the sinking ot' the latter elevates the` valve r above the nozpzle t, and thus allows water to flow through the latter into the force-pump.

The water having risen in the boiler, so as to cover the mouth of the branch 71, the vessel e is again filled witlrwater by steam-pressure, as before, and sinks again.

As it falls, the arm u, that operates a valve in an orifice leading out of the vessel e, is drawn downwardby a rod, v, connect-ing it with the lever B, opens its valve, and allows the steam in the vessel to escape.

-`The rising of the vessel once more shuts o the water-supply from the boiler, and thus the alternation goes on, the limits of variation in the altitude of the water in the boiler being determined by the length ofthe branch h, the variation being greater the longer the pipe.

An arm, fw, projects from the rock-shaft, to which the vibrating level' B is attached, and bears against the under side of the lever x, to which a whistle-'valve is secured within the hollow stem 2.

As the lever B vihrates, whether from the rise or fall of the vessel c, the arm w lifts and lowers the lever z, so as to cause the whistle to sound once and then cease.

`rlhe regular occurrence of the'whistles shows that the apparatus is working properly. Their cessation indicates that something is wrong.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is y 1. The combination of the'vihrating vessel e with the oscillating pipe d a z-,vwhose fulerum is in the dome A, or other fixed part of the boiler, and which extends within the same, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The* combination ofthe vibrating lever B and arm 'w with the whistle-valve arm x, in the manner and for the purpose described.

ALFRED D. CLARK.

Witnesses f CEAS.' A. PETTIT, SoLON OJKEMOX. 

